Abstract/Notes: AMS Seminar, November, 1985, Dayton, OH, and October, 1988 seminar, Baltimore, MD

Language: English

ISSN: 0010-700X

Language: English

ISSN: 0028-5048

Abstract/Notes: Maria Montessori was one of Italy's first female physicians, and she developed a groundbreaking educational method based on astute observation of children's behavior while working in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Rome (Gutek 2004; Kramer 1988). As someone who witnessed the extent of injustice experienced by poor women and children particularly, she turned from medicine to focus on education, seeing its potential power for social reform (Gutek 2004). Others have been drawn to the Montessori philosophy, sharing her belief that all children have the potential to become self-motivated, independent, and lifelong learners given an appropriate environment in which to flourish. Marginalized communities in the United States find this inclusivity to be a compelling message, leading to a growing number of public Montessori schools serving disadvantaged children (Debs 2019). The work and influence of Black Montessori educators is less wellknown than the stories of their white counterparts, so we profile three Black pioneers in the field. Before elaborating on the stories of Mae Arlene Gadpaille, Roslyn Williams, and Lenore Gertrude Briggs, Black Montessori pioneers who shared Maria Montessori's belief in the power of education for social justice, we first provide background on the Montessori Method, Maria Montessori's early years, and the history of Montessori education in the United States.

Language: English

ISSN: 1535-0584

Language: English

ISSN: 0003-0112

Abstract/Notes: The changes in the social and economic structure of India have intensified the need for universal early childhood education. The formidable challenges before the Indian Government are: to provide high quality early childhood education programs; to preserve indigenous practices such as multilinguality, family/community involvement, participation of older children as caretakers of their younger siblings; and to provide early childhood education to all children despite serious financial constraints. This article presents a brief overview of the traditional childrearing practices in India, chronicles government initiatives in early childhood education, describes the range of programs available in India, and identifies goals that will shape the future of early childhood programs in India.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1007/BF02430544

ISSN: 1082-3301, 1573-1707

Abstract/Notes: Purpose: This article investigates the role of private supplementary tutoring in Denmark in light of the country's pedagogical traditions in schools and leisure spheres. Design/Approach/Methods: Although tutoring activities are increasing, the phenomenon is not as prevalent in Denmark as in many other countries. In this article, we look in to the history of Danish pedagogy for answers as to why this is the case. In the analytical sections of the article, we include research on parental values of child-rearing, as well as findings from a pilot study on Danish families purchasing private supplementary tutoring, the public debate about private tutoring, and contemporary youth research. Findings: With a solid emphasis on democracy and equality in Danish pedagogy, the conditions for increasing private supplementary tutoring in Denmark have been challenged. However, a current focus on global competition, formal competencies, and higher academic performance among children and young people suggests that providers of private tutoring perhaps face a brighter future also in Denmark. Originality/Value: This article addresses a new field of qualitative research on private supplementary tutoring in Denmark and may be a platform for further reflection and empirical research.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1177/2096531120983335

ISSN: 2096-5311

Abstract/Notes: This article deals with the first twenty years (1911-1934) of the presence of the Montessori Method in France. The reconstruction is based on written evidences and on the main actors’ experiences in the implementation of Maria Montessori’s ideas. This historical outline allows to better recognise the reasons why Montessori’s educative principles were not welcomed in France so warmly as in other European countries. Several initiatives took indeed place, but they remained insubstantial because they were almost always the result of efforts carried by single persons rather than institutions.

Language: French

ISSN: 1971-1093, 1971-1131

Language: English

ISSN: 0012-2807

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study was to understand typically developing children’s repetitive behavior in a free-play, daycare setting. By studying repetition in a non-Montessori setting, we tested the assumption that repetition is a characteristic behavior of all young children and not limited to the Montessori environment. Although Maria Montessori identified repetition during her observations, there is little empirical evidence to support her claim: most research has considered repetition in terms of psychopathology. We collected naturalistic observational data on 31 3- to 6-year-old children for a total of 101 hours to investigate the frequency, contexts, and structure of repetitive bouts. Multilevel model results suggest the ubiquity of repetition, as all children in the study engaged in motor repetition. Furthermore, repetition occurred throughout all free-play activities (construction, animation, fantasy play, rough-and-tumble play, and undirected activity), although repetition was not equally distributed across activities. Motor repetition was not equal across ages either; younger children engaged in more motor repetition than did older children. To understand the structure of repetition, our study also looked at the length of repetition bouts, which ranged from 2 to 19 repetitions and averaged 2.86 repetitions per bout. This natural history of repetition is an influential starting point for understanding the role of repetition in development and is informative to both Montessori and non-Montessori early childhood educators.

Language: English

DOI: 10.17161/jomr.v5i2.7407

ISSN: 2378-3923

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study is to present evidence of how base-ten-blocks have been developed and emphasized as a tool for learning in mathematics education. After an introduction of the theme, we discuss the theoretical and epistemological perspectives that provide the basis for our analysis of the literature. Then, we illustrate how base-ten-blocks have historically been associated with the numeral concepts from the prehistoric era to today. We also review studies about different manipulatives that focus on numerical concepts (e.g., Cuisenaire rods). This discussion will broaden our understanding regarding how perspectives toward mathematics instruction have changed with the introduction of base-ten-blocks. The intent was not to understand the process of developing base-ten-blocks but rather to suggest that teachers must consider the underlying mathematical concepts and structures of base-ten-blocks when they use them. In summary, this study revealed that base-ten-blocks as concrete materials seems to have been presented as different isomorphic numeral concepts for various educational purposes throughout its developmental process. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n9p356

Language: English

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n9p356

ISSN: 2039-2117